There’s something about a horse barn in the early morning hours that makes my heart full. I love walking into the barn hearing the horses chewing on the sweet alfalfa and feeling their contentment. This is where I feel most like myself, this is where I am no longer Paige Vandenberg, daughter of millionaires or the chubby rich girl. I am just me and I am free.

I have been raised around horses my whole life. My parents own a large horse farm in the picturesque Dutch town of Lynden, Washington. Lynden sits just a few miles south of the Canadian border and truly is a small town. My family is one of the oldest families and we own or have owned practically everything. You can’t drive down the main road and not see Vandenberg scrolled on something. For many people I’m sure this sounds wonderful, but to me it’s a prison. One in which I fully intend to break free of next year when I leave for college. I will miss my family and of course my horses but I will not miss the people, and especially not resident bad boy Cutter Daniels. I hate him.

Review by Amanda

"There’s something about a horse barn in the early morning hours that makes my heart full. I love walking into the barn hearing the horses chewing on the sweet alfalfa and feeling their contentment. This is where I feel most like myself, this is where I am no longer Paige Vandenberg, daughter of millionaires or the chubby rich girl. I am just me and I am free.

"I have been raised around horses my whole life. My parents own a large horse farm in the picturesque Dutch town of Lynden, Washington. Lynden sits just a few miles south of the Canadian border and truly is a small town. My family is one of the oldest families and we own or have owned practically everything. You can’t drive down the main road and not see Vandenberg scrolled on something. For many people I’m sure this sounds wonderful, but to me it’s a prison. One in which I fully intend to break free of next year when I leave for college. I will miss my family and of course my horses but I will not miss the people, and especially not resident bad boy Cutter Daniels. I hate him. " This is part one in a 2 part series and although not exactly a cliff hanger, it definitely leaves things unresolved and you wanting more.

This is the story of Paige Vandenberg, heiress to a very large fortune and a renowned horse farm in Washington. She is known by her peers as Piggy Princess, and cruelly taunted for being a curvy girl. Her natural instinct when being bullied is to run.

Mercilessly teased by the Daniels brothers for years, Paige finally gets a break, when she heads off to college. The fates it seem have not been kind however, as she finds herself there with one of her tormentors, Cutter Daniels.

We meet Paige and immediately are exposed to the bullying and taunts that haunt her days and nights in the small town she lives. I wish she had been a character with more back bone and that she had taken her bullies head on as opposed to running away. Having said this, I did relate to Paige and her vulnerability.

College life sees Paige break out of her painfully shy shell and she starts making new friends. Suddenly, Cutter is interested in being her friend - and maybe even more. Cutter quickly becomes a more regular fixture in Paige's life as they pledge for a brother and sister sorority. Away from the watchful eyes of home, Cutter and Paige develop a truce almost to the point of friendship. Cutter discovers himself falling behind in a class and asks Paige to help him. This begins the blossoming of friendship.

It is clear that Cutter is fighting his own demons where Paige is concerned - and you can literally feel his struggle as you read.

As their relationship develops - many hurdles are placed along the way to their happiness. You can feel the emotions between these two and it makes me giddy reading this tale of first love.

A tragic event at home sends them back for the first time as a couple. What happens during their time there will leave you gasping and on the edge for book 2.

The book is filled with the usual college drama's and lots of college parties - all themed as Paige is part of a sorority. I actually really enjoyed that aspect of the book. Once Paige got to college, I liked the fact that she had people around her that supported her.

I did connect with the characters and could definitely feel their chemistry in the pages. Dorn nailed the emotional psyche and over analytical mind of any college aged girl. I really loved reading the things that went through Paige's mind, because I related to them completely.

The book is filled with some really beautiful parts, and I really loved reading the joy and the pain of first love “You have no idea do you?” Uh, what? Nope, I think it’s pretty clear I have no clue. “No idea about what?” I ask angrily. He exhales deeply. “There is nothing casual about this Paige. I want you and not just for one night.

“You are both broken, her more than you, but its time you try to heal. You need to let her go." I do think as Dorn produces more works the books will only improve - and I know in time I will be ranking her along my list of favourite authors.

I am giving this book 4 stars because I really did enjoy it, and I loved the development of Paige throughout the book. I am looking forward to reading what happens to the characters in book 2. They have both been through the emotional wringer in book one and I am hoping that J.J. Dorn gives them the happily ever after they deserve. I will happily recommend this book for anyone looking for an angst filled and sometimes heart breaking short read.

About JJ Dorn

J.J. Dorn lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and terrifyingly maniacal cat, Pippa Kiddleton. She currently owns three American Paint Horses. She has been riding and competing since she was a very young child. J.J. competes on a national level with her horses. When she isn’t spending time at the barn, she is busy working on her next novel. Please visit www.jjdornbooks.com for more info. There are frequent sneek peeks of current projects!